Skill Sets

engineers · technicians · trades

High-voltage and power skills sit under vehicles, chargers, grids and data centers. They are the most portable skills in the field, and the slowest to learn.

Time to train: an electrician apprenticeship takes four to five years, an engineering degree four to six, an EV or charger technician six months to two years, and high-voltage safety certification days to weeks. Skills that transfer across vehicles, grid and data centers: high voltage (400 to 1,000 V DC), power electronics (SiC, GaN, inverters), and controls and software (BMS, EMS, OCPP). TIME TO TRAIN, BY ROLE Electrician (apprenticeship) 4-5 years Engineer (BS, MS) 4-6 years EV or EVSE technician 6 months-2 years HV safety certification days-weeks SKILLS THAT TRANSFER ACROSS VEHICLES, GRID AND DATA CENTERS High voltage 400-1,000 V DC Power electronics SiC, GaN, inverters Controls and software BMS, EMS, OCPP
Electrician
4-5 yrs
Engineer
4-6 yrs
EV technician
0.5-2 yrs
HV safety
Days
Hub
Workforce

Finding

The scarcest electrification skills are the slowest to learn, and they transfer across every sector

High-voltage work, power electronics and grid interconnection sit under EVs, chargers, battery storage, fabs and data centers alike. That makes them both the most portable skills in the field and the ones in shortest supply - and the slowest to produce: a licensed electrician takes four to five years, a power electronics engineer a degree plus experience.

Short programs fill the gaps between: high-voltage safety training (OSHA, NFPA 70E) takes days; OEM and EVSE installer certifications (such as EVITP for electricians) take weeks; community-college EV technician programs take one to two years. Software skills - battery management, energy management, charger networking (OCPP), autonomy - are learned faster but change faster, and AI and machine learning are now expected in most engineering roles.

Core skills

Core technical skills

Core electrification skills
SkillWhat it coversTools and standards
High-voltage systemsSafe work on 400-1,000 V DC vehicles and chargersOSHA HV safety, NFPA 70E, OEM EV certifications
Power electronicsInverters, converters, onboard and off-board chargersSPICE, PSCAD, MATLAB/Simulink, dSPACE
Battery systemsCell, module and pack test, BMS integration, safetyArbin, Neware, thermal runaway test rigs
Embedded controlsBMS, motor and inverter firmwareC/C++, AUTOSAR, CAN tools
Grid interconnectionUtility service, protection, IEEE 1547PSCAD, ETAP, utility interconnection studies
Autonomy and AIPerception, planning, fleet optimizationROS 2, PyTorch, CUDA, simulation
CybersecurityVehicle, charger and grid-asset securityISO/SAE 21434, UN R155, NERC CIP
Digital twinsFactory, depot and grid modelsSiemens NX, Ansys Twin Builder, 3DEXPERIENCE

By tier

Skills by role tier

Electrification skills by tier
TierTypical workPath
EngineersBattery, power electronics, controls, systems, autonomy, gridBS/MS/PhD; 4-6 years
TechniciansEV service, EVSE install and repair, battery pack assembly, calibrationCertificates and associate degrees; 6 months-2 years
Field tradesElectricians, linemen, civil crews for depots, substations and charging hubsApprenticeship; 4-5 years; licensing

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
Technical, technician and trade skills for electrification
Sources
IBEW apprenticeship requirements; OSHA; NFPA 70E; EVITP; ISO/SAE 21434
Updated
October 2026